[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6215146,"mediaKeyId","3662507-7ae26beb6c2440f618aceee9547a8cd9","parentId",3662507,"title","Council annexes and rezones Webster Road acreage for industrial use; IDB conditional-use item postponed to July 8","audioSeconds",510,"startMs",3150000,"endMs",3660000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3662507-7ae26beb6c2440f618aceee9547a8cd9&start=3150&end=3660","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3662507-7ae26beb6c2440f618aceee9547a8cd9/thumbnail_3150000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6215146/Auburn/Lee-County/Alabama/Council-annexes-and-rezones-Webster-Road-acreage-for-industrial-use-IDB-conditional-use-item-postponed-to-July-8","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6215146-3f678b675509aa8c2f0b26e0ab4ce65e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200066&Signature=G0pR8fOfnO72pvt~Ly~ZBuscvZVEwbZG-xaYakF5UCBHhnIR8QiZC-q09caOA3iT4QESlOiLb2uTrVhoyMbbamTV3714wsNrtZXs8FOwcuGmHADmMJ5CXUbnd2tmvjiFah8QiTWXafkK2sa~vtek54KBvXsHnfR2JPIm81J0Jobmd0LVvGie6P93RhuQzmHaYVmvvzJFlzHljoIOhswYFY0I-uX-pciiwuM987OY92MG9LoQ2BugFMG7H7noW7p2AxuxwiXYXSf8qA0uWrVKGdq2TWNBatPBkr79tUObPg0ukxxCmxzJx0mZN3rvNBpP28kNUS3p51nnqW-ZYjbFhg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Auburn City, AL","date","2025-06-04T12:31:45Z","article","The Auburn City Council on June 3 voted to annex approximately 211.45 acres located at 430 Lee Road 53 (also known as Webster Road) into city limits and to rezone about 130.4 acres of that property from rural to industrial. Both actions followed unanimous Planning Commission recommendations and were presented at the meeting by Industrial Development Board representatives.

Council staff said the Industrial Development Board (IDB) acquired the property to provide scarce large parcels for future industrial or related uses; speakers noted that some parts of the tract may be held for nonindustrial uses or to serve as buffers adjacent to residential areas.

The annexation (Item 9B) and rezoning (Item 9C) were introduced and considered on first reading with unanimous consent; the council carried both measures in roll-call votes. During discussion councilors asked whether the IDB had identified specific users or customers for the acreage. An IDB representative, Mr. Dunlap, said the board had “some identified project that might occupy part of this” but that retaining flexibility for other future uses was intentional.

Separately, the Industrial Development Board sought conditional-use approval for a “high-performance computing center” at 430 Webster Road. The applicant requested a postponement of the conditional-use item to the July 8 meeting; the council voted to postpone the conditional-use hearing to that date. The Planning Commission had unanimously recommended approval of the conditional-use request on May 8, but the applicant asked for more time before council action.

Council members said the city conducts absorption and cost-benefit analyses before industrial land development. Staff stated that the acreage offers rare opportunity to secure large contiguous parcels inside city limits and that the IDB is selective about permitted users. The annexation and rezoning move the property into the city’s regulatory and planning framework and enable the city to manage future development proposals, including the postponed conditional-use application.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Auburn City Council Meeting June 3, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Auburn City Council annexed about 211.45 acres at 430 Lee Road 53 (Webster Road) and rezoned roughly 130.4 acres to industrial; a separate conditional-use request to allow a high-performance computing center on the site was postponed to July 8 at the applicant's request.","taxTitle","Auburn, Lee County, Alabama","taxId",4270,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6215151,"Council approves CDBG reallocations for Boykin Gym insulation, street resurfacing and amends COVID-era rental assistance projections",96,1516000,1612000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3662507-7ae26beb6c2440f618aceee9547a8cd9&start=1516&end=1612","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3662507-7ae26beb6c2440f618aceee9547a8cd9/thumbnail_1516000.jpg","/articles/6215151/Auburn/Lee-County/Alabama/Council-approves-CDBG-reallocations-for-Boykin-Gym-insulation-street-resurfacing-and-amends-COVID-era-rental-assistance-projections","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6215151-fae190b9b93c5cfe394dcc1466e6ef3e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200066&Signature=RuaE0uI3VgnHog6W4Tdbjm~OLdeGHjhzAmomqaeBKA3UWB~C1l3fbc6vhU7RFX-CJeiqPqNuz8AD5rfz8ko7Du-uWpEg9YFrcKVGcarEgNWFC5y12NTNfV26Y0TKHSAVUayVnJa5p7fpmHP-BpGIhPWeyjub5t87TL8kHvhDujZj~qyOhO6uGnbr~64Y4l~TnXcpd0q14fWnlKeuSxEUqc233VIr6V8oqb6FZca~zQarO8io7q2Y7wVZIDw2Ul~EENtGlT8RCzZJcbtxHFYPG4kg2fty00eO1i49pgR6j-Bv00YfbyUjd02xFAua~qUuuh7Mz3Tu-A9OB0gqqITRhQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Auburn City Council on June 3 approved two related Community Development Block Grant actions: a state application amendment to revise the projected number of beneficiaries for coronavirus-era rental and utility assistance, and an amendment to the FY2023 CDBG action plan to reassign $316,794 to new activities including Boykin Gymnasium insulation and resurfacing of several neighborhood streets.

Al Davis, Community Services director, told the council the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) requires beneficiary counts to match actual outcomes. The city had projected 429 beneficiaries for the state coronavirus rental/utility assistance allocation but staff later used other CARES-era funds that arrived directly to the city and thus could not meet that projected number with the state funds, Davis said. “We were able to allocate a little almost a hundred and $40,000 which we did spend from the allocations the cities received directly and was able to help a little over 500 people, 500 families with those dollars,” Al Davis said.

Davis said the city reallocated the unspent state funds to local needs rather than losing the dollars. “We didn't lose the dollars. Those dollars was just reallocated to the food bank and food pantry,” he said.

Separately, staff explained that HUD’s timeliness test showed the city had program income from the sale of affordable housing — about $375,000 — and that the city needed to reassign $316,794 of CDBG funds to timely activities or risk future eligibility problems. The council approved reallocating roughly $200,000 of those funds to the Boykin Gym insulation project (work already underway) and the balance to street resurfacing projects on Darden Avenue, Laverne Avenue, Jones Street, Julie Avenue and Crosby Avenue.

Council members asked for clarification about project scope and scheduling. Public Works staff said they would check resurfacing schedules for the Boykin Street corridor and confirm whether separate resurfacing work was planned. The city manager’s office confirmed the general fund would front Boykin-related costs and be reimbursed from CDBG when eligible.

Council voted to approve both amendments. Staff said the changes preserve the city’s CDBG standing with HUD and ADECA while redirecting funds to local capital and nonprofit priorities.","The council authorized amendments to state and federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) applications and action plans to update beneficiary counts for coronavirus-era rental/utility assistance and reassign program income to local projects including Boykin Gym insulation and five resurfacing projects.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6215156,"Auburn council approves increase to solid-waste charges after public hearing and debate",234,2382000,2616000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3662507-7ae26beb6c2440f618aceee9547a8cd9&start=2382&end=2616","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3662507-7ae26beb6c2440f618aceee9547a8cd9/thumbnail_2382000.jpg","/articles/6215156/Auburn/Lee-County/Alabama/Auburn-council-approves-increase-to-solid-waste-charges-after-public-hearing-and-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6215156-8fa2bbc6a9d4078c10b95ee4d961a028/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200066&Signature=CjvR3nRWVG5XGnGyCLO9AgRw5Zcd4deSfykBKkXi~9g6ekIKZMV9uMKoP9PY7rzC2wG2VT9vl4MKN93Wn1nxPMthCmrhnyO6pczlAI57pWTfH8sl70IeJvukPx9rvc1BQ10jlHxUVX9Dt0qrdtrYmAkuGu~GtMqR03ryFl5ZkyZj7WhQhjs6nSwgw44NNLGmpb3L-qGKtqwk4gYatoiTqESUVVJ6R2~SE9JyrZY10m0jLsHVYs41LBNX1S4sciSHt02FRR5k9~4rYyGQx9Ct2ulr3xR6h8CGzvi0w0srNrA3r-Imobqtujhwg-Cgc11UAxOTsbp46KfjHCm4Mm5VcQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Auburn City Council on June 3 approved an ordinance amending Chapter 20, Article 2 (sections 20-47 and 20-53) of the City Code to raise solid-waste charges, following a public hearing and a period of council debate.

The measure — postponed from a May 6 first reading and then adopted after a public hearing — aims to address a projected shortfall in the city’s solid-waste enterprise fund, city officials said. Council members said the fund is intended to be self-sustaining and that transfers from the general fund reduce money available for other services such as roads, parks and public safety.

Resident Robert Wilkins urged the council to explain recent changes in the solid-waste fund, including salary and benefit increases. “I don’t know where all of this money is going and why it has increased,” Wilkins said during the public hearing, citing what he described as rapid growth in payroll and benefit line items in recent years.

Councilman Griswold said the shortfall effectively shifts costs to the general fund. “Every dollar that we transfer from the general fund into the solid-waste fund is a dollar we lose for other things that the citizens of Auburn expect and deserve,” he said.

City staff and the finance director told the council that the projected shortfall reflects higher service costs, capital-equipment replacement and the need to update aging city vehicles and field equipment. The finance director also clarified that water and sewer funds are separate from the solid-waste enterprise and that the sewer fund’s $84 million figure cited by a resident primarily represents capital assets; “about $12,000,000” of that was unrestricted net position at the end of 2024, the finance director said.

Council members said they conducted multiple work sessions and released supporting information before the vote to give the public time to review. Councilors also noted the trade-offs inherent in using general-fund resources to subsidize an enterprise fund that is intended to operate like a self-supporting utility.

A motion to approve the ordinance carried on a roll call vote. Staff provided a sample utility bill in the meeting packet to show the effect of the increase on an average customer and said budget hearings this summer will offer additional public review of enterprise and general-fund budgets.

The council closed the item after the roll call; no specific vote tallies were provided in the meeting transcript.","The Auburn City Council approved an ordinance increasing solid-waste charges after a public hearing in which residents and council members disputed past fund shortfalls, personnel cost increases and how enterprise funds are managed.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council annexes and rezones Webster Road acreage for industrial use; IDB conditional-use item postponed to July 8

Council approves CDBG reallocations for Boykin Gym insulation, street resurfacing and amends COVID-era rental assistance projections

Auburn council approves increase to solid-waste charges after public hearing and debate